BEIRUT - Hezbollah will continue to defend Lebanon and support Gaza despite losing its Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah and many commanders, said Sheikh Naim Qassem, deputy leader of the group, on Monday.

"Hezbollah's Islamic Resistance will go ahead with confronting the Israeli enemy in support of Gaza and Palestine and in defense of Lebanon and its people," Qassem said during his first televised speech following Nasrallah's assassination by Israel.

He characterized Israel's belief that brutal massacres would help achieve its goals as delusional.

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He assured that Israel has not been able to penetrate Hezbollah's military capabilities, noting that "Zionist claims in this regard are just a dream that will never come true."

Qassem emphasized that Hezbollah will select a new secretary general as soon as possible, vowing if Israel initiates a ground operation in Lebanon, the fighters of the Islamic Resistance will confront it and defend Lebanon.

Since last Monday, Israel has intensified airstrikes across Lebanon, culminating in a significant strike on Friday in the southern suburbs of Beirut that killed Nasrallah and many of his companions.